Champawat MLA resigns, vacates seat for Uttarakhand CM

BJP MLA Kailash Chandra Gahtori resigned from his Champawat seat on Thursday, paving the way for Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to contest the assembly bypoll from there.

Gahtori submitted his resignation to Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri, BJP sources here said.

Soon after resigning from the seat, Gahtori visited the chief minister’s residence.

Although the BJP won the recent Uttarakhand Assembly elections, Dhami himself could not win from his Khatima constituency. He needs to become a member of the state assembly within six months to continue as chief minister.

Gahotri had offered to vacate his seat for Dhami soon after the latter was sworn in as chief minister.